Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 26; 35–36; John 20 Click HERE to give! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus’ kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! Today is August 18th, and we are continuing our journey through the Scriptures with Jeremiah 26, 35–36, and John 20.

In Jeremiah, we encounter a king who attempts to silence God’s message by cutting apart and burning the prophet’s scroll. Yet the Word cannot be destroyed. What is burned is written again, and even more is added. Then, in John 20, we witness the resurrection of Jesus. The Living Word, rejected and crucified, emerges from the tomb in victory.

Today’s readings remind us that neither human opposition, fire, violence, nor death can extinguish the purposes of God. What appears to have been reduced to ashes becomes the beginning of abundant life.

Settle in, open your heart, and let us listen together for the living Word of God.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

The Word cannot be extinguished.

In Jeremiah, we see the king take the scroll containing God’s Word, cut it apart, and throw it into the fire. He believes that by destroying the scroll, he can silence its message. But the king can burn the pages without destroying the Word.

God tells Jeremiah to write it again.

And this time, even more is added.

Out of the ashes, the Word returns. It is rewritten, restored, and reaffirmed. Human resistance cannot stop what God is doing. The king may burn the scroll, but he cannot extinguish its source or frustrate its purpose.

Then we turn to John’s Gospel and see the powers of darkness attempting to extinguish God’s Living Word, Jesus Christ. They condemn him, crucify him, and consign his body to a grave. They believe that the story is finished.

But the cross and the grave cannot stop God.

Jesus enters fully into the fire of human judgment, violence, suffering, and death. Yet none of these things can hold him. He emerges from the tomb as the resurrection and the life.

What looked like an ending becomes a new beginning.

What appeared to be defeat becomes victory.

What had been reduced to ashes gives way to abundant life.

Jesus entered the fire and passed through death so that we might be brought into the much more of his life. He invites us to leave behind the ashes of despair, shame, fear, and defeat and awaken to resurrection hope.

The Word cannot be extinguished.

The life of Christ cannot be overcome.

And because his life is now at work in us, our failures and losses do not have the final word either.

That’s the prayer I have for my own soul. That’s the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that’s the prayer I have for you.

May we rise from the ashes and enter more fully into the abundant life of Christ.

May it be so.

TODAY'S PRAYERS:

Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.

Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

And now Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. And where there is sadness, Joy. Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life. Amen

And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray...

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim...